Bulldogs’ Junior Review: Curtain comes down on season for Under-12s, Under-14s and Under-16s

REWARDED: Bulldogs’ youngsters who stood out with their performances include (clockwise from top left) - Jenson Foster, Louis Brook, Jacob Mardell, Charley Farr, Riley Carlisle, Vilem Scherks, Ethan Marsden and Bentley McEwen.

IT PROVED a busy final month or so as three of Bradford Bulldogs’ junior teams brought the curtain down on the 2023-24 competitive season.

It was the Under-14s who closed out the campaign when they travelled to the North East to take on Whitley Bay on Sunday, May 5.

In what was a hard-fought even contest, Matthew Emmerson proved to be the hero for the home team - delivering their first win of the season in the process - when he struck what proved to be the game-winning goal at 26.24 when beating Bulldogs’ netminder Jacob Mardell, who turned away the other 56 shots on his net and earned the hardest worker helmet as a result, while Vilem Scherks was awarded the Spirit of the Game medal.

That was the first of two straight road defeats for the Under-14s, who the previous week found it hard going at Manchester Storm Academy, who romped to an 11-4 win at Planet Ice Altrincham. 

Mario Vaksmansky was the star of the show for the home team, scoring a remarkable nine goals and two assists, the other two Storm goals coming from Heath Langlois. 

First period strikes from Thomas Taylor and Louis Brook kept the Bulldogs’ in the game, with the visitors edging the second period 2-1 thanks to the Bulldogs’ pair bagging another goal apiece. 

But Vaksmansky completed his impressive haul with four more goals in the third period to ensure a comfortable win for the hosts. Brook earning the Spirit of the Game award, while Ethan Marsden donned the hardest worker helmet.

On April 12, the Under-12s finished off their campaign with an entertaining 7-4 defeat at Whitley Bay, the first of two games in the North East for the Bulldogs. 

Trailing 2-0 after the first period, the Bulldogs hit back in the second, guest player Bentley McEwen getting on the board twice, sandwiching a goal from Freya Nelson at 20.47. 

But Whitley still had the edge going into the third after goals from Ace Gilmore and Archie Campbell added to a first period double from captain Leo Watson. 

Whitley Bay then pulled clear in the third, goals from Denys Miniallo, Watson and Gilmore putting them four clear before Jonas Mtethwa bagged a consolation for the Bulldogs in the 47th minute. Jenson Foster was awarded the hardest worker helmet afterwards, with Bentley McEwen earning himself the Spirit of the Game award.

The Under-16s began the countdown to the end of their campaign in a busy April schedule with a visit to Whitley Bay on the same day as the Under-12s. 

It was another entertaining affair, Whitley taking a 2-1 lead in the first with strikes from Ben Wood and Jack Williams either side of a shorthanded strike from Danny Harrison for the visitors at 7.48. 

NOT QUITE: Action from the Under-16s 5-3 loss at Whitley Bay (Picture: Whitley Bay Juniors Facebook)

Goals from Ollie Jardine and a second for Williams saw the hosts go 4-1 ahead early in the second, before a quickfire double from Daragh Spawforth pulled the Bulldogs back to within one. 

But, try as they might, they couldn’t find a way past Orson Groot, with Jardine sealing a 5-3 win with his second of the game with just 10 seconds remaining. Charley Farr picked up the Spirit of the Game award.

The following week, an under-strength Under-16s headed to Nottingham and battled hard against a team heading to the Nationals in Sheffield later this month after finishing the regular season second to Division One North winners, Manchester. 

With Jacob Mardell away on England duty, Telford’s Joshua Minns stood in through special dispensation and stood on his head, saving 108 of the 120 shots that rained down on his net. 

In front of him, the Bulldogs - with three players making their Under-16s debut - battled throughout, Nottingham building an 8-0 lead after two periods thanks largely to four goals from Ewan Woodward, who added a fifth goal in the third period as the hosts ran out comfortable 12-0 winners, with goalie Joshua rightly earning the MVP award.

It was another tough outing for the Under-16s in their last game of the campaign at Telford the following week - but with a different outcome. 

After falling behind to a second-minute strike from Jack Wilson, the Bulldogs pulled themselves level through a power play strike from Harrison at 7.24 and then went ahead just over four minutes later through a goal from Dom Wright. 

Telford levelled just seven seconds later through Jack Williams to ensure the teams went in level at the first break. 

A second for Harrison at 22.46 put the Bulldogs ahead for a second time but, again, the hosts were quick to respond when Williams doubled his own tally 51 seconds later. 

As the game entered the last five minutes, the Bulldogs were grateful to still be level thanks to another top performance from Jacob Mardell in net, the goalie eventually turning away 51 of the 54 shots on his net. 

It provided the foundation for the visitors to forge ahead when Thomas Taylor put them ahead for a third time with 40.30 on the clock, the points made safe when Daniel Johns struck an empty-netter with just 31 seconds remaining for a hard-fought 5-3 triumph, Riley Carlisle being rewarded for a great performance with the Bulldogs’ Spirit of the Game award.